Star-Spangled Banner Lanterns

For my Lit Starry Garland, I used the 6 lanterns from yesterdays post, and printed 2 copies of these Star-Spangled Banner Lanterns, for a total of 10 lanterns:

This design features a vintage Ellen Clapsaddle postcard. 🙂
The instructions repeated:

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Print the lanterns onto cardstock or photo paper (I use Canon 170g Matte Photo Paper)
• Optional: run the pages through a laminator WITHOUT the plastic pocket – just to heat set the print color to help prevent the ink from running in the moist air outside… (No need to do this if you have a laser printer, but a little trick I came up with for my inkjet printer!)
• Cut out the individual lanterns. and score along the middle line
• Cut the slits with scissors while your lantern is sharply folded in half, that makes the cutting so much easier!
• Roll on some tape on the left side of the lantern, and attach the right side, it should overlap so the pattern matches up.
• Punch 2 (small) holes in the top rim of the lantern
• Cut 2 pieces of wire approx 15cm long (approx 6″)
• Thread both wires through both holes and twist a couple of times on one side
• Carefully widen the wires in the middle to be able to pull them over the bulb, then twist the other side to fasten the lantern into position.
• NB! Use only LED light bulbs for these, to avoid any fire hazard!!!
• Hang your chain of lanterns, and enjoy!

The lanterns can of course be hung with string, wire or pretty ribbon (no light), as festive decorations for a daytime garden party as well!

Here are some pictures of the process (please ignore the mess in the background…:-O):

My chain of LED party lights has 10 bulbs, so I made 10 lanterns:

I chose to fasten my wire as high on the socket as possible, so the bulb would be positioned approximately in the middle of the lantern. I might go over the wire with my jewelry pliers and prettify the ends… I would have done that on the table, but of course I was overexcited about my idea, HAD to hang the lights first, and THEN climb up on a ladder to hang each lantern… so don’t do as I did, do as I say and fasten the lanterns on your partylights b-e-f-o-r-e you hang them, if you want pretty finishings…lol

I don’t expect these to hold up well to being taken down after the party, so you might want to consider other ways of hanging them on your string of LED party bulbs, or the holes for the wire could be reinforced with small eyelets!

Here’s a preview of the printable lanterns:

If celebrating 4th of July is not in your plans, but you like the idea of dressing up plain party lights, you might want to consider the Vintage Rose Lanterns I made last summer (click on image to go to original post):

Rose Lanterns

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